Episode 7 would mean it comes after Episode 6, they're addressing it as Episode 7 in the official statement, so the assumption is naturally - it takes place after ROTJ.

Also, the biggest misconception out there right now is that Episode 7 is being written by Disney, it's not. LucasFilm is writing the movie, they're producing it too. It's like saying that 21st Century Fox wrote the Star Wars movies because they helped foot the bill .

Right now I'm thinking of it as a place holder. It could be Episode 7, as in a direct continuation or it could be set in the future and they are using Ep. 7 until they have more they can/want to give us. (I'm leaning more toward it being the former.)

Disney now owns Lucasfilm, but Lucasfilm will remain an autonomous entity headed by Kathleen Kennedy, who will Executive Produce this new trilogy of SW films and was personally handed the 'SW baton' by Lucas himself.

There should be absolutely no confusion whatsoever as to the nature of this Sequel Trilogy if one bothers to do a little bit of research by going to the official Star Wars website right now and checking out the video that is the first thing you see when you get there, but, in short, this new trilogy is a continuation of the existing saga and will have tangible connections to the six existing films in said saga, and, while its stories will be original, they will more than likely be based at least in part on story treatments that Lucas gave Kennedy.

An evil scientist has been working for decades on tracking down dead Sith and taking their body parts to reassemble into a Super Sith. You have Maul's legs, Anakin's torso and head and Dooku's arms. With this monster now brought to life only aged Luke Skywalker and his Jedi apprentice Jar Jar Binks Jr. can track him down and stop him from destroying the universe.

If its a continuation of 4,5,6 there will be an attempt by the Empire to return to power, another Death Star or Superweapon, Hutts wanting revenge for Jabba, more bounty hunters, etc. I hope Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Ben, Tahiri, Jag, Tenel Ka all show up in some capacity or another. I would be fine if Jacen's NJO on portrayal is gone. Everyone else is fine.

Anakin Skywalker might come back as a force ghost I hope. For Vader I bet that there will be flashbacks and dreams of him. Leia might still have to get over the fact that he is her father. If Anakin Solo is around in Episode 7, he might have dreams like he does in the EU that he might fall. Maybe someone will don the armor as a prank or something

- Luke Skywalker will return and we will see the New Jedi Order. I sure hope to see Luke portrayed by Mark Hamill.

- Luke Skywalker will, unfortunately (as I have been the self-proclaimed world's biggest fan of both Luke and Obi-Wan since at least 1980), most certainly die in one of the ST films and become one with the Force. Done well though, this will be glorious. Incedentally, boy am I glad George held off on allowing Luke's death to appear in novel form. Thanks to this decision, we will likely be treated to the big payoff on-screen.

- We will finally get to see the New Republic fully-realized visually. Last evening, lying in bed, I was flooded with images of this.

- Han, Leia and Chewbacca will appear. Again, I hope to see the original actors appear in these three new films if at all possible.

- R2 and 3PO will return.

- Boba Fett will be shown to have survived his fall into the Sarlaac. My hope is that we will see Boba unmasked and played by Temuera Morrison. My preference would be for Boba to shine here and ultimately survive the new trilogy, if only as a means of setting things right with the character after his, shall we say, less than stellar treatment in Episode VI. I would, in fact, love to see an army of Mandalorians, perhaps now led by Fett himself, either with the New Republic against some new foe (my preference), or even as a challenge to the heroes.

- Most obviously, we will be treated to a whole new generation of heroes for our classic ones to teach. Along these lines, Luke and Han / Leia may very well be shown to have young adult children. If this comes to pass, I imagine we would be treated to a Mara Jade type character. Either way, our new heroes, in whichever form they are executed, will be most intriguing and they will certainly be of the utmost importance in carrying the story forward.

- Re-appearance of Anakin and Yoda in spirit form? Could Ewan McGregor be conviningly made-up to appear in spirit form? I would sure love to see it.

- We can really only speculate on the enemy our heroes will have to face. Re-emergance of the Empire? A new Sith threat? Let's just say that the Yuuzhan Vong are at the very bottom of my wishlist. Ugh!

I. Can. Not. Wait!

Edit: I can't believe I almost forgot, but I sure hope to hear John Williams' music throughout the new ST.

I doubt we'll see any existing EU characters outside of people with direct connections to the Skywalker lineage, which means no Thrawn, Paelleon, etc. If we do see EU characters with direct ties to the Skywalker lineage, I would expect that we'd be getting mostly original takes on said EU characters, with only the most basic of details about said characters being appropriated from the EU material.

As the result of the explosion of the second Death Star, runaway climate change destroys the Ewok habitat on Endor. The Ewoks are relocated to a reservation on a faraway planet, where they are forgotten for decades. Unfortunately, destabilization of the refuge planet's orbit turns that planet as well into an uninhabitable wasteland. Wicket's genius helps a small band of Ewoks hang on to life for years until they manage to hijack a passing Republic starship. Hellbent on revenge, Wicket and his ruthless gang of Ewok warriors pursue an aging Han, Leia and Luke relentlessly across the galaxy. His final goal: destruction of Coruscant and Tatooine and the death of everyone living on those planets.

Ok.. heres my highly unintelligent garble that is complete speculation and just a fanboy enjoying himself:: one of the kids of the big 3.. has a disagreement with the way that the new jedi coucil is.. and goes on a "mission" where he stumbles on a treasure trove of computer information of vader.. in the hopes that he get an apprentice and send him there for training.. (out of sight of palpy.. ) the kid is seduced by the darkside of the force.. now the prophecy stated that vader would bring balance to the force.. it never said the balance is the complete elimination of the sith.. maybe the balance is having a bad and good.. and the next three movies are this young siths seduction.. (light sabre battles with no jedi but evil people in 7) training (light sabre battles with this new cloked unknown sith. ep 8) and master being revealed in final dual in 9.. thoughts?

I agree! I think the fact that haven't seen them kill off Luke Skywalker yet is telling that they're waiting to do the major stuff to Luke in Episode 7-9, perhaps the upcoming Troy Dennings Crucible novel, or novels, may serve as a tie in to Episode 7.

I'm not surprised it's going to be an original story. I can only imagine the terrible, terrible, hilarious debates about changes Lucas/Disney made to Dark Empire, Thrawn Trilogy, NJO, whatever.

What will be most interesting is what Lucas decides to take from the exisitng post-ROTJ canon. Stuff like new Jedi, new Alliance, Imperial remnant, seems pretty straightforward from the events in ROTJ. It's the similarities from the existing EU I think that people will fight the most about.

What is going to be the most interesting move to me is whether or not they keep the OT gang together and cast new actors. Harry Potter surivived a new Dumbledore.